Running an Adventure¶

Introduction¶

The GM is responsible for guiding the narrative and roleplaying the world the PCs inhabit. This section provides you with advice for running Daggerheart: using the core mechanics; creating memorable encounters; planning exciting sessions; selecting, creating, and using GM moves; crafting a full campaign; running dynamic NPCs; and more.

GM Guidance¶

These three sections provide a foundation to help you get the most out of this game. The "GM Principles" are your guiding star—when in doubt, return to these principles.

GM Principles¶

BEGIN AND END WITH THE FICTION

Use the fiction to drive mechanics, then connect the mechanics back to the fiction.

COLLABORATE AT ALL TIMES, ESPECIALLY DURING CONFLICT

The PCs are the protagonists of the campaign; antagonism between player and GM should exist only in the fiction.

FILL THE WORLD WITH LIFE, WONDER, AND DANGER

Showcase rich cultures, take the PCs to wondrous places, and introduce them to dangerous creatures.

ASK QUESTIONS AND INCORPORATE THE ANSWERS

Ensuring that the players' ideas are included results in a narrative that supports the whole group's creativity.

GIVE EVERY ROLL IMPACT

Only ask the players to roll during meaningful moments.

PLAY TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS

Be surprised by what the characters do, the choices they make, and the people they become.

HOLD ON GENTLY

Don't worry if you need to abandon or alter something that came before.

GM Practices¶

CULTIVATE A CURIOUS TABLE

Follow what catches the players' interest to foster an environment of creative inquiry.

GAIN YOUR PLAYERS' TRUST

Act in good faith, follow through on your promises, admit your mistakes.

KEEP THE STORY MOVING FORWARD

Advance the story through escalating action, new information, or changing circumstances after every action roll, whether it succeeds or fails.

CUT TO THE ACTION

Skip past the boring bits. When a scene drags on, end it.

HELP THE PLAYERS USE THE GAME

Players have more fun when you help them understand the system.

CREATE A META CONVERSATION

Empower players to speak out of character, use safety tools, and ask for clarification.

TELL THEM WHAT THEY WOULD KNOW

Don't hide obvious details or important information from the players.

GROUND THE WORLD IN MOTIVE

An NPC's actions flow from their goals and desires.

BRING THE GAME'S MECHANICS TO LIFE

Set a good example of how fiction and mechanics work together to enhance the game experience.

REFRAME RATHER THAN REJECT

If a player's contribution conflicts with the fiction, work with them to reshape it.

WORK IN MOMENTS AND MONTAGES

When framing a scene, decide which beats should be savored and which shouldn't linger.

Pitfalls to Avoid¶

UNDERMINING THE HEROES

If a roll doesn't go well, show how it was impacted by an adversary's prowess, environmental factors, or unexpected surprises, rather than the PC's incompetence.

ALWAYS TELLING THE PLAYERS WHAT TO ROLL

Let the players decide how to handle a challenge.

LETTING SCENES DRAG

Shake it up or cut away when a scene has concluded, the table's energy is flagging, or people are talking in circles.

SINGULAR SOLUTIONS

Don't get hung up on one right answer to a problem. If the players have a clever idea, make it work.

Overplanning

Spend your prep time inventing situations instead of scripting scenes. If the players surprise you, take a break to think through your options.

HOARDING FEAR

Spend Fear when you have the opportunity. The players will always generate more.

For more in-depth GM guidance, see pg. 140 of the Daggerheart Core Rulebook.

Core GM Mechanics¶

Rolling Dice¶

The GM has no Duality Dice; instead, they roll a single d20 called the GM's Die.

Adversary Attack Rolls¶

When an adversary attacks a PC, roll your d20 and add the adversary's attack bonus to the result. If the total meets or beats the target's Evasion, the attack succeeds; otherwise, the attack fails. On a successful attack, roll the attack's damage dice to determine how much it deals.

If you roll a natural 20 on an attack, you automatically succeed and you deal extra damage. Roll damage normally, then add the highest number on the damage dice to the total. For example, an attack that deals 3d6+2 deals 18+3d6+2 on a critical success; the critical success does not affect the flat damage modifier.

Note: a critical success on an adversary's reaction roll automatically succeeds, but confers no additional benefit.

Adversary Action Rolls¶

By default, adversaries don't normally make action rolls except for attack rolls and any unique actions described in their stat blocks. Any other action an adversary attempts simply succeeds without an action roll; if you want an adversary's action to have a chance of failure, have any relevant PCs make reaction rolls instead.

However, for especially dramatic or difficult tasks that the PCs can't influence, you can give an adversary an action roll anyway. For an adversary's action roll, roll a d20. If the result is equal to or greater than the action's Difficulty, the action succeeds—otherwise it fails. You can spend a Fear before rolling to add a relevant Experience from the adversary's stat block to the total. Use the same procedure when an adversary makes a reaction roll.

Guidance on Action Rolls¶

After a player describes a move they want to make during the game, you might decide an action roll is necessary to determine how the scene progresses. Use this guide to determine what to present the player, choosing whichever option best fits the situation:

• Determine whether the roll is necessary, considering the PC's Experiences or backstory, the pressure they're acting under, and the possible outcomes.
• Establish the stakes of an action roll before the player makes it.
• Communicate any unavoidable consequences.
• If desired, you can offer the player the opportunity to forgo an action roll in exchange for agreeing to an interesting outcome, cost, or complication.

Making Moves¶

As the GM, you have GM moves that change the story in response to the players' actions. GM moves aren't bound by specific spells or effects—when you make a GM move, you can describe the action in whatever way the fiction demands.

GM moves happen during GM turns. A GM turn begins when the spotlight passes to them and ends when the spotlight passes back to the players.

WHEN TO MAKE A MOVE

The GM can make a GM move whenever you want, but the frequency and severity depends on the type of story you're telling, the actions your players take, and the tone of the session you're running.

Make a GM move when the players:

• Roll with Fear
• Fail an action roll
• Do something that has unavoidable consequences
• Give you a "golden opportunity" (an opening that demands an immediate response)
• Look to you for what happens next

CHOOSING GM MOVES

The result of a player's action roll determines your response:

On a Critical Success, you let the player describe their success, then give them an additional opportunity or advantage.

On a Success with Hope, you let the player describe their success, then you show how the world reacts to it.

On a Success with Fear, you work with the player to describe their success, then take a Fear and make a GM move to introduce a minor consequence, complication, or cost:

• An adversary attacks
• The PC marks a Stress
• You introduce a new threat
• You raise the stakes of the conflict

On a Failure with Hope, you describe how the PC fails to get what they want, then make a GM move to introduce a minor consequence, complication, or cost:

• An adversary attacks
• The PC marks a Stress
• You introduce a new threat
• You raise the stakes of the conflict

On a Failure with Fear, you describe how things go wrong, then make a GM move to introduce a major consequence, complication, or cost:

• You put them in immediate danger
• They become the focus of multiple adversaries
• They are separated from their party
• They lose an important opportunity for good.

Resolving Action Rolls¶

QUICK REFERENCE: RESOLVING ACTION ROLLS

If you're unsure how to resolve a roll, think about these quick phrases:

Success with Hope: Yes, and… (You get what you want and gain a Hope.)

Success with Fear: Yes, but… (You get what you want, but there's a consequence, and the GM gains a Fear.)

Failure with Hope: No, but… (Things don't go as planned, but you gain a Hope.)

Failure with Fear: No, and… (Things don't go as planned and it gets worse. The GM gains a Fear.)

If the move you should make is not obvious from the fiction, draw inspiration from the "Example GM Moves" list:

• Introduce a new obstacle or enemy
• Ask the player what happens
• Have the PC mark a Stress
• Tell the players "everything is fine… for now."

Soft and Hard Moves¶

Soft moves go easier on the players—they give the party new information about the scene and offer them an opportunity to react to it. Hard moves are harsher, more impactful, or more direct—the PCs don't get an opening to interrupt, alter, or anticipate the outcome.

Use softer moves on rolls with Hope and harder moves on rolls with Fear.

Example GM Moves¶

• Show how the world reacts
• Ask a question and build on the answer
• Make an NPC act in accordance with their motive
• Drive a PC to take action by dangling their goals in front of them
• Signal an imminent off-screen threat
• Reveal an unwelcome truth or unexpected danger
• Force the group to split up
• Make a PC mark Stress
• Make a move the characters don't see
• Show the collateral damage
• Clear an adversary's condition
• Shift the environment
• Spotlight an adversary
• Capture someone or something important
• Use a PC's backstory against them
• Take away an opportunity permanently.

Using Fear¶

You start a campaign with 1 Fear per PC in the party.

You gain Fear whenever a PC rolls with Fear, the PCs take a rest (see: Downtime), or when an ability or effect tells you to.

You can never have more than 12 Fear at one time.

Fear carries over between sessions.

Spend a Fear to:

• Interrupt the players to steal the spotlight and make a move
• Make an additional GM move
• Use an adversary's Fear Feature
• Use an environment's Fear Feature
• Add an adversary's Experience to a roll

The dramatic tension of a scene correlates with the amount of Fear you spend during it. For guidance on how much Fear you should spend in a scene, consult the following table:

If you find yourself with a large amount of Fear, consider:

• Spending Fast: Spend Fear before the players have a chance to react
• Spending Often: Spend Fear every time the spotlight swings to you
• Spending Big: Spend Fear to make multiple moves in a row

Spending Fear to make a move communicates the increased impact of your action. Fear moves often include one or more of these elements:

• Introducing new adversaries to a scene when their appearance hasn't been foreshadowed or lacks context.
• An adversary activating a powerful spell or transformation to deal massive damage or boost their capabilities.
• An environment exerting a strong negative effect on the party.

Difficulty Benchmarks¶

The Difficulty of an attack roll against an adversary is equal to the adversary's Difficulty score. The Difficulty of any other action rolls against an adversary is equal to the adversary's Difficulty score, plus (if applicable) the value of one of the adversary relevant Experience modifiers.

When a player makes an action roll without a specified Difficulty, the GM sets the Difficulty according to the totality of the circumstances. Refer to the following benchmark table for more guidance:

Scene Types¶

The dramatic tension of a scene correlates with the amount of Fear you spend during it. See the table in the Using Fear section above.

Advantage and Disadvantage¶

To visually convey how a PC's actions or circumstances affect their ability to act, grant them advantage die (or impose disadvantage die) instead of adjusting the Difficulty of an action roll.

ADVERSARY ACTION ROLLS

By default, adversaries don't normally make action rolls except for attack rolls and any unique actions described in their stat blocks. Any other action an adversary attempts simply succeeds without an action roll; if you want an adversary's action to have a chance of failure, have any relevant PCs make reaction rolls instead.

However, for especially dramatic or difficult tasks that the PCs can't influence, you can give an adversary an action roll anyway. For an adversary's action roll, roll a d20. If the result is equal to or greater than the action's Difficulty, the action succeeds—otherwise it fails. You can spend a Fear before rolling to add a relevant Experience from the adversary's stat block to the total. Use the same procedure when an adversary makes a reaction roll.

ADVERSARY ADVANTAGE & DISADVANTAGE

If an adversary has advantage on an action roll, the GM rolls an extra d20 and counts only the higher result. If an adversary has disadvantage on an action roll, the GM rolls an extra d20 and counts only the lower result.

ADVERSARY ATTACKS

When an adversary attacks a PC, the GM rolls a d20 and adds the adversary's Attack Modifier to the result. If the total meets or beats the target's Evasion, the attack succeeds; otherwise, it fails. Before rolling, the GM can grant the attacking adversary advantage, impose disadvantage, or spend a Fear to add a relevant Experience from the adversary's stat block to the total.

On a success, the adversary deals the damage listed in their stat block to the target.

When an adversary's action lets the GM make an attack against multiple targets, they make one attack roll and compare it to each target's Evasion separately.

Countdowns¶

Countdowns represent a period of time or series of events preceding a future effect. A countdown begins at a starting value. When a countdown advances, it's reduced by 1. The countdown's effect is triggered when the countdown reaches 0.

Note: You can track countdowns by "spinning down" dice or ticking off boxes.

Standard countdowns advance every time a player makes an action roll. If an adversary or environment ability refers to a "Countdown [n]," then it means a standard countdown with a starting value of n.

Dynamic countdowns advance by up to 3 depending on the outcomes of action rolls. Consequence countdowns are dynamic countdowns to negative effects. Progress countdowns are dynamic countdowns to positive effects. Dynamic countdowns advance according to this chart:

DYNAMIC COUNTDOWN ADVANCEMENT

ADVANCED COUNTDOWN FEATURES

• Countdowns with randomized starting values
• Loop countdowns that reset to their starting value after their countdown effect is triggered.
• Increasing countdowns that increase their starting value by 1 every time they loop.
• Decreasing countdowns that decrease their starting value by 1 every time they loop.
• Linked progress and consequence countdowns that simultaneously advance according to the same action roll outcomes.
• Long-term countdowns that advance after rests instead of action rolls.

Giving Out Gold, Equipment, and Loot¶

It's up to you and your players how much importance you want to place on gold, equipment, and loot in your campaign.

Adjust the availability and utility of wealth and equipment to reflect the tone, themes, and setting of your campaign.

If you don't wish to track gold, then when PCs go shopping for new items let them pick one or two from a short, preselected list that aligns with your campaign setting and the party's current location.

Otherwise, set the prices of goods and services by adjusting the entries in the Average Costs table to reflect your campaign setting:

Running GM NPCs¶

When you run NPCs as the GM, you should always strive to follow your GM principles and use them to bring the world to life. Differentiate NPCs with unique manners of speech and action; let their individual goals and desires motivate their actions.

The only essential elements for a NPC are their name, description, and motive. If it's likely that the PCs will roll actions against them, give them a Difficulty. Adversaries can be invented or improvised by modifying the stat block of another adversary.

If an NPC becomes an ally in combat, they don't need a stat block—just put the spotlight on what they do and show how their involvement alters the fiction. If a PC capitalizes on their help during the scene, give the PC advantage. NPCs that don't have Hit Points or Stress can still be injured or killed if the fiction demands it.

If you want an important NPC to mechanically interact with the system, you can give them one or more features with specific triggers and effects. An NPC might also have a choice that adjusts the parameters of their feature. For example:

ARCANE HOLD

Choice: When the battle begins, choose a favored PC.

Trigger: The first time during a battle the favored PC is within Close range and hit with an attack.

Effect: Make an attack roll with a +6 modifier against the adversary. On a success, the target is temporarily Restrained by tendrils of powerful magic.

Additional GM Guidance¶

This section provides additional guidance for preparing and running a session of Daggerheart.

Story Beats¶

In storytelling, a beat is a moment that changes the trajectory of the narrative—a shift in the world, a significant action or reaction, an emotional revelation, or an important decision. Take turns with the players, narrating a beat and then letting them react and carry the scene forward with their own beats. When preparing for a session, plan in terms of the moments that give shape to each scene or sequence, rather than prescripting specific details or exchanges.

Preparing Combat Encounters¶

Build the hurdles the PCs face around the question of "What helps tell the story?" Enemies, environments, and hazards are the tools for heightening tension and creating drama. Ensure that combat is being used to give players more information about the unfolding story, revealing the world, the plot, or the characters.

BATTLES AND NARRATIVE

Dynamic battles create suspense by forcing players to choose between their various objectives, engaging their character's motivations and weaknesses, and creating the crucible that the players use to forge their characters into legendary heroes. When preparing combat encounters:

• Consider the narrative function of the battle
• Base adversaries' moves on their motives
• Use dynamic environments to bring the battleground to life
• Add enemies that can interact with the PCs' features and special abilities

Session Rewards¶

Reward players at the end of a session with:

• Useful information
• Story hooks
• Loot
• Gold
• Access to new equipment or enhancements

Crafting Scenes¶

Whenever you start a session, arrive at a new place, or change the situation, tell the players what they need to know by thinking with all of your senses and sharing something unique or unexpected about the fiction.

Engaging Your Players¶

Keep your players engaged by:

• Rotating the Focus between the PCs
• Tying Together Story Elements
• Engaging Quiet Players
• Using Visual Aids
• Encouraging Unguided Play
• Confronting the PCs with internal and external conflicts
• Raise the Stakes by Spending Fear
• Layering Goals Other than Attrition into Combat (see Table of Random Objectives on the next page)

Random Objectives¶

Phased Battles¶

Make battles by shifting the nature of its enemies or environment mid-combat:

• Change the Terms of Engagement
• Alter the Environment
• Evolve the Opposition

Using Downtime¶

Use downtime scenes as a pressure release valve to vary the intensity of the story and give the PCs room to breathe.

Empower your players to frame their own downtime scenes. Ask the players what it looks like as they tend to their wounds or unwind together, encouraging them to take the reins and work with other players whose characters are involved.

Campaign Frames¶

A campaign frame provides inspiration, tools, and mechanics to support a particular type of story at the table.

Every campaign frame has a complexity rating that indicates how much its mechanics deviate from or expand upon the Daggerheart core ruleset.

Each campaign frame includes the following sections.

• A pitch to present to players
• Suggestions and guidance on tone, feel, themes, and touchstones
• An overview of the campaign's background
• Guidance for fitting communities, ancestries, and classes into the setting
• Principles for players and GMs to focus on during the campaign
• Unique setting distinctions
• An inciting incident to launch the campaign
• Special mechanics to use during the campaign
• Questions to consider during session zero

You can find each campaign frame map in the appendix of the core rulebook or at www.daggerheart.com/downloads.

Projects During Downtime¶

The Work on a Project downtime move requires more GM input than other downtime moves and is best suited for long-term endeavors the PCs wish to undertake.

These projects are typically tracked using a Progress Countdown. When deciding the starting value of the countdown, consider the complexity of the project, the availability of relevant tools, and the impact of the project on the story.

Simple projects advance their countdown each time a player uses the Work on a Project move, but complex projects require a roll.

EXTENDED DOWNTIME

When you fast-forward the story across an extended period, use montages to illustrate the passage of time. You gain 1d6 Fear per PC and advance any long-term countdowns as appropriate.